Situational Awareness
Despite having large crowds descend upon the relatively small area of the National Mall, first responders did not experience disrupted communications during the 2017 Presidential Inauguration thanks to extensive planning and the help of several FirstNet deployable network assets.
FirstNet Authority Board Member and Ret.
San Bernardino County’s Assistant Fire Chief Dan Munsey reflects on emerging technologies, such as drones and wearables, and how they will transform fire service operations in the years to come.
In the latest episode of Public Safety First, Dave Buchanan chats with Captain Craig Schwartz of the Santa Rosa Police Department about how drones can help law enforcement with better situational awareness to make well-informed, mission-critical decisions.
In this episode of Public Safety First, guest host, Lesia Dickson, FirstNet’s Director of Field Operations for the North-central region sits down with Arizona DEMA’s Wes Dison at the 2018 NEMA Forum in Savannah, Georgia to discuss Arizona’s experience with FirstNet during high-profile events such as Senator McCain’s funeral in August.
FirstNet is a new nationwide broadband network dedicated to first responders. Designed with the advice of public safety professionals, FirstNet aims to give first responders 21st-century communications tools to help save lives, solve crimes, and keep communities and emergency responders safe.
The age of FirstNet stands to deliver situational awareness and data for Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), whether for emergency managers in rural or metro areas in the US. When police needed to search a 300-acre wooded property in rural Alabama, they used a mix of traditional police work and cutting-edge technology to try to find evidence that could provide a long-sought break in a missing persons case.
FirstNet keeps firefighters connected during wildfires, such as the 2018 Miles Fire in Prospect, Oregon, and wildfires in Napa Valley and Sonoma in California. In Oregon, a FirstNet deployable enhanced coordination and communication among the nearly 2,000 first responders who gathered at base camp. In California, FirstNet equipped responders with the devices they needed for enhanced situational awareness and coordination during the 2017 wildfires.
Host Dave Buchanan is joined by Amanda Hilliard, Senior Director of Business Operations, Public Safety Advocacy, for a discussion on the importance of engaging the public safety community and the evolution of FirstNet’s advocacy efforts. Episode 2 also features first responders sharing their initial perspectives on the FirstNet network.
In May 2018, over 100,000 tourists and sailing enthusiasts descended on Newport, Rhode Island to witness one of the world’s toughest sailings competitions. FirstNet outfitted first responders with FirstNet devices, which enabled fire, police, emergency management and EMS to stay connected and coordinated.